How to Study Islam

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 23 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Together, they cited 5 references. This article has also been viewed 10,412 times.
Learn more...

Would you like to study Islam? Are you a non-Muslim wishing to convert? Are you a Muslim who wants to know more about Islam? Or are you just interested in world religions, and would like to learn about the second[1] largest religion in the entire world? This guide will help you study Islam.

Find out if there are any mosques in your area. The mosque is the source of spiritual guidance, perfect for worship and seeking knowledge. If there are, make an appointment to go to the mosque, and meet with the Imam there. He should provide you with plenty of information about Islam.

Can you please put wikiHow on the whitelist for your ad blocker? wikiHow relies on ad money to give you our free how-to guides. Learn how.

Find out if there are any activities or courses happening soon. These are a great way to learn about Islam in a fun and friendly environment with other people wishing to know more. Non-Muslims are usually very welcome to attend such events.

Go to your local library or mosque, and see if they have a copy of the Quran that you might want to read. You may be interested in the Arabic version or an English translation instead

Try to choose a translation that you can understand. Some are quite old and are hard to understand, while others are too in-depth and may be intimidating to non-Muslims and new Muslims. Sahih International is a good option. Remember that translations are fallible and are subject to error. When in doubt, consult multiple translations (or ideally, the original Arabic).

Learn about why Muhammad is so important for Muslims. He is the last Prophet and messenger of Allah. You should read the seerah (biography) of the Prophet Muhammad to better understand his life and journey of spreading Islam.

Learn about the five pillars of Islam. They are fundamental beliefs that must be in the hearts of every Muslim. They are the testimony of faith, praying five times a day, giving charity, fasting, and going on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime, should one have the means to do so.

Learn about Muslim dietary laws. Certain foods are either halal (permissible) or haram (forbidden). Animals must be slaughtered according to Islamic teachings (also known as Shari'ah) for them to be permissible, although some animals, such as pigs, are categorically forbidden.

Learn about the different sects of Islam. Just as Christianity is divided into numerous denominations, Islam is also is divided into numerous sects. The main denomination is Sunni, with Shia being the second-largest one. Sunnis believe that Abu Bakr was Muhammad's successor, while Shias disagree and believe that Ali was the rightful successor.

A few religions such as the Bábism, the Bahá'í Faith, and Druzeism have evolved from Islam but preach new concepts (e.g. new prophets and scriptures) which are deemed heretical by Muslims.[2][3][4] The Qur'an teaches that Islam is the final and only religion acceptable to Allah (3:85).[5]

Learn about the different schools of jurisprudence. Also known as madhhabs, within the two major denominations, there are several schools that differ in how they interpret rulings from the Qur'an and hadith (sayings of the Prophet). Within Sunni Islam, the four common ones are Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi'i, and Hanbali, each founded by prominent jurists. Within Shia Islam, the major school is Ja'fari, which is further divided into branches.

Learn about the different Muslim holidays. The two official Muslim holidays are Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha; the former celebrates Ramadan being finished and literally means "festival of breaking the fast". Eid-ul-Adha celebrates the Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son, who was replaced by a sheep, which was then slaughtered. It means "feast of the sacrifice.

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 23 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Together, they cited 5 references. This article has also been viewed 10,412 times.